Windy City Times: 300,000 Rally at Women’s March Chicago Event

An estimated 300,000 people gathered at Columbus Parkway near Grant Park for the Women’s March Chicago rally and march Jan. 20 under the theme March to the Polls.

Last year’s event, held the day after the presidential inauguration (Jan. 21, 2017), attracted approximately 250,000 people in protest of the 2016 election results.

Northwestern University’s Associate Chaplain and Director of Interfaith Engagement Tahera Ahmad opened the rally with a Muslim greeting and justice and peace chant.

Among the speakers were Parker, NBC’s Chicago Fire actor and activist Monica Raymund, philanthropist and progressive activist founder of Need to Impeach Tom Steyer and many women elected officials in the Chicagoland area including Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia, Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer (10th district) and Ald. Michele Smith (43rd Ward).

CAIR Chicago’s Asha Binbek spoke about the danger of having a Trump mindset because it is used to divide people not bring them together. Binbek also stressed the importance of civic engagement, including voting and running for office.